Restoring a Round Porch

Rot-resistant materials and better details extend the life of this unique coastal porch

Recently we renovated a semicircular screened porch, one of the key features on a classic 1930s Martha’s Vineyard home. Like a lot of coastal porches, this one had rot issues, particularly at the base of the sculpted fir posts. The posts had been repaired more than once, but the underlying problem had never been corrected. Our plan was to retain as much of the original woodwork as possible, replace what we had to, and incorporate details that would prevent future rot.Column RepairBefore pulling the supports, we documented the existing ceiling height, the distances between the posts, and the size of...